GUEST COLUMN: Cut the red tape: A pro-housing path for every small town

Across the country, small and mid-size communities are facing the same crisis: Homes cost more than most families can afford while building permits keep declining. At the New Mexico Housing Summit, where 600 housing leaders from 24 states and 80 municipalities gathered, the numbers told a stark story: 80% of families cannot afford the median home price, rents have jumped 60% since 2017, and homelessness has risen 87%. Nearly 40% of a new home’s cost comes from regulatory requirements. That’s not a market failure — it’s a policy failure.

Whenever solutions come up, someone says, “Government can’t get involved.” I call BS. Local governments created much of the red tape — and they can cut the red tape. City councils, planning boards and county commissions already have the power to remove needless barriers that drive up costs and slow construction.

Here’s how any small community can act:

Promote density and diverse options

Allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in areas zoned only for single-family homes. Welcome mixed-use development near jobs and shops while reducing outdated parking, lot size and height rules.

Embrace “middle housing”

Support townhomes, cottage clusters and courtyard apartments — neighborhood-scale choices for every stage of life and income level.

Streamline permitting

Cut impact fees, digitize permits and shorten review times. Focus public input on broad zoning plans instead of fighting every project.

Housing is infrastructure, as essential as roads and water. If we want teachers, nurses and our own children to stay, we must act now. Communities that embrace pro-housing policies thrive. When local leaders have the courage to cut red tape, families win, neighborhoods strengthen and the whole town prospers.